S04E024, Do What You Can When You Can, Andy B 2 Minute Video

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As a Stay-At-Home-Dad for more than 15 years I’ve thoroughly loved everything with caring for my family and our home.

But since catching Covid a little over a month ago, discovering an issue with my heart, getting through a lung infection and adjusting to a whole host of medication to keep me healthy until the heart issue can be resolved, it has taken a lot out of me.

The most challenging part is being on blood thinners. Because there is so much I can’t do, or need to seriously question whether I should do that, or not.

My family are great, and have been doing everything to make me feel valuable and loved, despite me doing virtually nothing around the home for nearly 5 weeks. At the time of writing, I’m still doing everything I can to ensure my heart rate remains as low as practicable, which further restrict what I can actually do.

But, today, for the first time in more than 7 weeks, I changed the bedding on Jo, and my, bed.

I can’t tell you how chuffed I was to be able to accomplish this seemingly small thing. And when you can’t do something, that ‘thing’ becomes an ever greater obstacle.

But. And this is a big but! When we can’t do what we normally do, it opens up to us the possibility of doing different things. And that can be immensely beneficial.

While there are things that are, God willing only temporarily out of my reach right now, there is still plenty I can do!

So, where is God asking you to step forward, and “Do What You Can When You Can?”

Just a thought...

Andy B

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As a stay at home dad over the years, I really enjoy cleaning the house, and changing the bedding, and hoovering the house, dusting. I love, love doing all those things.

But, at the start of November, I went down with COVID. My whole family did. Then I had a heart issue. I had a lung infection. It's been kind of a rough month, and I haven't been able to do all the things I would regularly normally do.

One of the things I really enjoy is being clean shaven. And if you're looking at this picture thinking, you're not very clean shaven now, there's a reason for that. And this is the video with a bit of explanation.

"Do What You Can When You Can!"

One of the phrases I've shared is "It Is What It Is". Because, at the moment, I'm not very well. My heart isn't working as it should. I'm on three types of medication to keep me from having a stroke and blood clots. I'm on medication to reduce my blood pressure, And medication to drop my heart rate, which was the biggest initial problem.

And I'm on all those medications. And it's not a lot of fun! And it's quite limiting.

However, I had a fantastic conversation with my local doctor, who, if I'm paraphrasing him, basically, was rest for two weeks as you've been told, and then get on with your life. Slowly, incrementally increasing what you're doing, but get on with living.

Now I like a clean shaven face. I haven't got one. The reason I haven't got one is 'cos my family were concerned that the greatest reason for most people on blood thinners, to go to hospital, and need help, is because they cut themselves shaving. And it's very hard to try and stop the bleeding.

So, I'm now growing a beard. I'm into my second week nearly. Or the end of my second week nearly, in a couple of days. And I'm not really enjoying it. It's a bit scratchy and itchy. And I've been asking my friend Ben, what, what do you do with your beard. And now I've discovered there's this thing called beard oil. Which I apparently need to buy to keep my own oil in the beard. Make it all soft and all that.

It's kind of a journey and it's a bit of a discovery. And I'm not really enjoying it!

Last night I was going mad thinking I just want to scrape this rubbish off because it's itchy. And now it's past.

But "Do What You Can When You Can!"

This morning, I was really tired. I stayed in bed. I just needed to rest.

I don't like resting! If you know me at all, you know that I don't like resting. I like to be busy, and doing things, and helping people, and cleaning the house and all that.

And most of that's gone for now. It'll come back. I'll get there.

But, it's not there now.

But I made the bed today and I was really chuffed with myself. It seems like a simple thing. But I made the bed. I put fresh bedding down for Jo and I.

Last time I tried to tidy the bed I had a cut on my hand. My first cut while on blood thinners. So, I was a little bit weary and nervous.

But in life, there are things that we can do for the people around us.

Do you shy away and think 'I can't be bothered, and I don't want to help them'

Or do you push yourself forward and, and, and "Do What You Can When You Can" to help others.

I'm helping my family by growing a beard, because the nervousness of me cutting myself shaving is real!

So "Do What You Can When You Can".

Just a thought